Downtown Moncton Centre-ville Inc., A Catalyst for Revitalizing Downtown

The downtown core of any city centre reflects the pulse, character, and tempo of that city and acts as a barometer of the economic health of the surrounding region. It is the downtown that exhibits the true essence of a city in the historical record reflected in heritage buildings combined with a vision of the future in new developments. Such is the case with the downtown core of the City of Moncton which stands at a crossroads of a rich and varied history and a vibrant and compelling future.

The downtown core of the City of Moncton extends geographically from Vaughan Harvey Boulevard in the west, across St. George Boulevard in the north including projections beyond to take in key facilities, along Halls Creek including Chateau Moncton in the east, and bordering the Petitcodiac River in the south. Within its boundaries lie some of Moncton’s most important landmarks, showcasing its unique character and its metamorphosis throughout its cultural and economic past, moving on from a rural outpost to a shipbuilding centre and railroad giant, to the modern, economic, and cultural centre it is today. Its strategic position at the hub of the Maritimes has always held sway in attracting businesses and residents to its centre, and today the city’s changing cultural and economic trends reflect a distinct multicultural flair as waves of immigrants have settled into the downtown core bringing to Moncton their festivals, businesses, and cuisine apparent in the smorgasbord of restaurants representing all the major cultures of the world. A thriving night life offers a lively night club scene as well as a creative theatre scene, public services such as top medical facilities, schools, and government offices join a strong retail component in specialty shops and boutiques as well as world class hotels to complete a downtown core with all the amenities to attract a strong, residential and commercial demographic which can exist in harmony with each other.

Downtown Moncton Centre-ville Inc., is an entity committed to the stewardship of Moncton’s downtown core. Headed by newly appointed Executive Director Anne Poirier Basque, Downtown Moncton Centre-ville Inc., is looking ahead to safeguarding the future of the downtown by courting new development to its environs, bringing more people into its boundaries and facing the challenges ahead in fulfilling these initiatives. Borrowing an outline from Martin Latulippe’s recent weekend column in the local newspaper addressing self-improvement, Anne Basque applies three important points to Downtown Moncton Centre-ville Inc.,’s vision for the future. (1) Increase self worth, (2) invest in self, and (3) ask the right questions. All of these points can relate well to Downtown Moncton Centre-ville Inc.,’s quest to invest in the downtown area. Downtown Moncton Centre-ville Inc.,’s self worth has been augmented through developments such as the new Palais de Justice with its expansion of the law courts and additional space for public services, the newly renovated Aberdeen Cultural Centre and the Peace Centre now under construction and due to open in July. This centre will house five major non-profit organizations including the Volunteer Centre of Southeastern New Brunswick, Inc. and MAGMA which will bring a multicultural flavour to the downtown core and will add approximately 200 people who will join the workforce there on a daily basis. In the realm of further investment to the downtown area, plans are afoot for the new multi-use Civic Centre which will add a new dimension to the city centre. To date, additional developments along St. George Street have brought the night club scene to that sector of the downtown, and last summer’s highly successful Multicultural Festival opens the door for investing in more events of that calibre to draw people to the downtown area. Downtown Moncton Centre-ville Inc. also has plans for further beautification of Oak Park, augmenting outdoor seating and perhaps working with the Capitol Theatre and Nubody’s Gym, both bordering the park, to develop this attractive approach to the new Peace Centre.

Finally, in asking the right questions, Downtown Moncton Centre-ville Inc., focuses on exploring possibilities such as further development along the river front where the trail system already attracts walkers and cyclists. “Downtown Moncton Centre-ville Inc., has entertained thoughts of adding facilities such as a restaurant with a patio open to the river, perhaps a skating rink, and most certainly, more bathroom facilities and seating along the river front. We are also looking at incorporating public art throughout the downtown core,” says Anne Basque, “working with area artists to partner in future projects for the beautification of the downtown area.”

Anne Basque believes a cooperation and collaboration with the City of Moncton and various entities such as the Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise Greater Moncton, the RCMP, and arts and cultural groups can come together to discuss ways the city can increase the vitality of the downtown core and increase opportunities for development by filling empty spaces. “We must pool resources to work with other entities in the city and keep abreast with what the business community wants,” says Anne Basque, “and cooperate with economic partners to avoid losing businesses in the downtown core as that has an impact on the whole city. The ripple effect of one business closing is huge. It means the loss of jobs, people moving away, children taken out of school, houses put on the market, and so on. By sharing costs on such things as banners for events and visible projects like the gateways to the city we can help to augment our strengths. The RCMP’s presence in the downtown core makes for a secure environment, and the Communities in Bloom Project in the summer and the festival of lights in the winter make for an attractive downtown destination for area residents and visitors to our region alike. All these elements combine to draw people to the downtown core.”

Downtown Moncton Centre-ville Inc., is also concerned with the toll urban sprawl can have on the downtown core. “In many major cities in North America, where the trend has been for people to move to the suburbs, the downtown core dies. Services are taken away and monies that can go to upgrading infrastructure go instead to providing services to suburban developments away from the city centre. We need a residential component to our downtown; we need our schools and public services to retain the vitality of the downtown core,” says Anne Basque, who leads by example, as she is herself a resident of downtown. “We must avoid the ‘donut effect’ of the depleted downtown core surrounded by suburban areas by investing in the downtown, employing proper zoning practices to control suburban development, enlisting the help of other entities in the city, courting businesses to the downtown, filling empty spaces, and attracting people to the downtown, not just as visitors, but as residents. All these elements can come together to create a dynamic downtown centre for the City of Moncton that will ensure its vital quality well into the future.”

The Origins of Santa Claus

Legend has it that one St. Nicholas, a fourth-century archbishop of a small Turkish city called Myra, was the real-life person today’s “Santa Claus” is based on. He had devoted his holy life to good works and loved to give gifts, to the extent that his reputation spread throughout Europe among Christian worshipers of every denomination. Known by various names, depending on what country he was celebrated in, he was known as Pére Noël in France, Father Christmas in England, and Kris Kringle in Germany. The legend of St. Nicholas spread to the Americas in 1700 with Dutch colonists who simplified his name to Sinterklas, with the pronunciation eventually evolving to Santa Claus as it is today.

Santa Claus has taken on many guises over the centuries from a tall, thin elderly man often dressed in clerical robes to a fatherly man dressed in any colour from black to red, brown, green, and blue. In 1822, American poet Dr. Clement Clarke Moore wrote a humourous poem depicting Santa as having “a little round belly... like a bowl full of jelly” and a popular picture of Santa as a rotund person emerged. In the 1860's, another American, artist Thomas Nast, popularized many of the practices associated with the modern-day Santa, namely, Santa as a toymaker with his own workshop, Santa keeping lists of good and bad boys and girls, Santa receiving letters of requests, and Santa driving a sleigh with reindeer.

Today, Santa is as well-loved as ever by new generations of boys and girls the world over, eager to receive the one commodity he has to offer – toys! From a humble legend of a good man obscured by the mists of time to a modern-day hero, Santa Claus has stood the test of time as one of the fundamental elements of a Merry Christmas!

In the Greater Moncton Area, Santa arrived at the Annual Christmas Parade which occurs each year at the end of November. At present, Santa can be seen at our region’s largest indoor shopping centre – Champlain Place! Santa also greets visitors to MacArthur’s Nurseries located at 232 McLaughlin Drive where their wonderful Christmas Open House is a celebration of Christmas for old and young alike! A must for the whole family, visit this destination for ideas on decor, unique ornaments, live and artificial Christmas trees, hand decorated centrepieces, wreaths and arrangements perfect for your home or as gifts for family and friends. Not only does Santa welcome one and all with a basket of sumptuous gingerbread cookies, but hot chocolate, coffee, doughnuts, and cookies give much needed refreshment to shoppers searching for the perfect accent to their holiday season. Drop by and visit Santa at these popular locations, and when you do, you’ll know a little of the history behind this rotund gentleman!

Albert County Funeral Home

Albert County Funeral Home is celebrating 90 years in business this year! Founded in 1921, this family-owned business has spanned the greater part of one of the most exciting centuries in history. The past nine decades has seen this enterprise move forward from the era of the horse-driven hearse to embrace huge progress in the funeral industry, including the establishment of online condolences through their website at http://www.albertcountyfh.com/. What has remained a constant through the many years Albert County Funeral Home has seen in business is the presence of the Bishop family and their abiding commitment "to be of help to grieving families in a difficult time."

Located at 4130, 114 Hopewell Cape, Albert County Funeral Home serves a wide area of communities from Hillsborough to Alma. It is a full-service establishment offering funeral services onsite at their own facility, at local churches, and even at the home of the deceased if requested. Also offering cremation services and pre-planned funeral arrangements, Albert County Funeral Home is a valued member of the Funeral Association of New Brunswick, embracing all the policies and programs as laid down by the Association.

Albert County Funeral Home facilities are housed in a home-like setting which is a refreshing departure from the sometimes impersonal and institutional atmosphere of some funeral homes. Recently renovated and refurbished, the funeral home overlooks the panorama vistas of Hopewell Cape. A wide, furnished verandah offers a welcome retreat in warm weather for quiet contemplation, and a step into the ample kitchen and reception area with plenty of wrap-around seating offers a place to mingle and partake of refreshments. The only funeral home in the Greater Moncton and Surrounding Areas to have a special children’s play area, it’s the perfect spot to keep children attending the funeral of a loved one entertained while being a part of the celebration of a loved one’s life.

A serene visitation room with plush seating is just off a consultation room which leads to one of the finest onsite chapels in the vicinity. Built by Audbur Bishop with the help of the community, its 135-person capacity can be augmented by an adjacent room with stackable chairs to absorb any overflow of attendees. An HD widescreen TV is mounted in the chapel for video presentations of the deceased’s life, and a speaker system throughout the building ensures that everyone can take part in the service. Lovely wooden beams accent a vaulted ceiling and handworked, wooden posts date from the Tuttle family’s involvement in making caskets almost 100 years ago. Elegant, antique, wooden, newly upholstered pews were purchased from a local church, and, in fact, antique accents throughout the funeral home add an air of a bygone era to the ambiance. The chapel’s podium came from the Point Wolfe United Church at Fundy Park, another podium in the consultation room came from Hopewell Cape Baptist Church, and two lovely chairs came from Caledonia Mountain Baptist Church. A lower level preparation room, a casket selection room, and offices at the top level complete this handsome facility which overlooks some of the most scenic views at Hopewell Cape. Albert County Funeral Home is an Agent for Classic Memorials. Visit their website to link to this monument company.

Albert County Funeral Home is presently served by Funeral Director Lisa (Bishop) Henderson who, together with her husband Sean, twin sister Lana (Bishop) Duffy, father Audbur who is still a licensed Funeral director, and mother Faye, form the all-family member team that staffs the funeral home. All are members of the Bishop family that purchased the business from previous owner Whitney Calhoun in 1921. This family has roots that run deeply into the local community, having gained the respect and trust of generations of community residents whom they have helped in their time of grief over the past 90 years. Semi-retired, Funeral Director Audbur Bishop is the person in whom the past and the present come to bear. A gracious and gentle man, his anecdotes, stories, and memories of the history of the region make the story of the Albert County Funeral Home come alive.

According to Audbur Bishop, his grandfather, Edmund Bishop, made caskets and prepared the deceased in those early days at their own homes, placing huge ice blocks under the stand which held the coffin during visitation. Not only did he transport the deceased to the churchyard to be interred using a sled pulled by four black horses, he also dug the grave. Edmund and his wife, Inez, ran the funeral home then known as C. E. Bishop & Son. When Edmund died in 1947, Inez continued to work in the business, joined by son Donald who had apprenticed for his Funeral Director’s license with the Tuttle Funeral Home in Moncton. In 1970, Donald and Inez retired, leaving Audbur who had apprenticed with his father, Donald, to run the business. "I grew up helping my father with every aspect of the business," says Audbur, "so it’s only natural I would gravitate toward it as a career." A move from its original site two miles down the road to its present location, as well as a name change to Albert County Funeral Home Ltd. to avoid confusion with a Fredericton firm of the same name, occurred at this time. Later on, the chapel was built, a double garage added, and a casket selection room and preparation room completed the facilities as it exists today. "The first funeral service held in our chapel was that of a 102-year-old, retired, sea captain whose ship plied the waters off the Fundy coast," says Audbur. In 1988, Lisa, who also grew up helping her father in all aspects of the business, apprenticed with her father, Audbur, also gained her Funeral Director’s license. In the future, Lana’s daughter, Casey, hopes to take the reins at Albert County Funeral Home, thus continuing in the footsteps of her venerable ancestors.

Albert County Funeral Home has seen many changes in the funeral industry throughout its history. There has been a greater interest in cremation services since the 1970's. There has also been a greater awareness amongst their customer base of the importance of pre-arranged funerals, and funerals today have less to do with mourning and more to do with an actual celebration of the deceased’s life and accomplishments. Also, along with an apprenticeship for those entering the funeral industry, courses are also required from either King’s Tech Community College in Nova Scotia or the Canadian College of Funeral Services in Manitoba.

For Albert County Funeral Home, one of its greatest assets has been its involvement in the community. "I’ve grown up amongst many of our customers, so serving their families is easy. I know how Mrs. Smith wore her hair, for example, or how Miss Brown did her makeup, so I can make a good presentation to their families," says Lisa. "Families are our number one priority. We do everything for our families in need, from contacting the minister, arranging ceremonies at the church, flowers, hiring a caterer, and doing all the required paperwork, including Canada Pension forms. I don’t want my families to worry about a thing in their time of grief." It is that personal touch filled with compassion and empathy that has earned Albert County Funeral Home the reputation it enjoys today.

For more information on Albert County Funeral Home, contact them at (506) 734-2780, fax at (506) 734-2260, e-mail at lisa@albertcountyfh.com, and visit their very comprehensive website for photos of their facilities, information on grief counselling, the benefits of planning ahead, what to do in the event of a death, and more. Congratulations to Albert County Funeral Home on achieving 90 years in business with Best Wishes for many more to come!

A Funeral Director's Prayer

Lord, give me the patience needed to serve Everyone as my own;
The wisdom to understand other's feelings;
The knowledge to learn as well as instruct;
The kindness to treat everyone equally at all times;
The strength to endure long hours and hard work;
The desire to serve others as I would my own family;
The humility to accept words of thanks and praise;
The compassion to touch another's soul;
he pride and the right to smile when I have served a family well;
And Lord, most importantly the right to shed an
Honest tear when my heart is touched;
Lord, make me thankful that
I am a Funeral Director

~ Anthony J. Asselta III ~